Weight Training for Women: Six Simple Beginner Workouts for Home or the Gym, Strength Training Guide and How to Get Started Today
Weight Training for Women
Strength training for women: below you will find six basic workouts and a resistance training guide to get you started today.
Julie has completely transformed her body and how she feels about herself inside and out. Not only did she slash her body-fat in half, but now Julie can run circles around her children on most days of the week.
What was her secret? Weight training.
In this editorial, you will learn the ridiculous myths about women's weight training and how it can truly benefit you regardless of your goals and gender. More importantly, if you act from what you learn from this article, you will see incredible physical changes just like Julie did.
But first, we will start with several beginner routines that you can start today.
Beginner Plans
Beginner's Strength Training Plans for Women
Why Do It?
Why Strength Training for Women?
Weight training is not just for bodybuilders or professional athletes. It can and should be used by everyone who wants to be in the best physical shape of his or her life, especially women.
You need to know that weight training is simply just another form of resistance exercise and it increases your strength, bone density and tendon strength.
The Myths
The Myths About Strength Training for Women
Weight training will not make you muscle-bound. That is a myth that drives me crazy and that I frequently hear from female clients. Women do not have the genetic makeup for this to happen.
In fact, there’s been multiple times when I've had a husband and wife following the same resistance training workout and their results are completely different. Why?
♥ Hormones and the multitude of other genetic factors make it much easier for men to pack on lean body mass.
Have no fear, ladies. You are not going to turn into She-Ra, the Princess of Power.
♥ With that said, please don’t be afraid of heavy weights in the gym or elsewhere.
The Science
Research on Strength Training for Women
Based on research, higher intensity training with weights that challenge your body is far more effective for both men and women. What that really means is no more high repetition training unless your goals are based around improving muscular endurance.
♥ The optimal rep range for your muscles is 15-6 per weight training exercise.
Your Flexibility
Weight Training and Flexibility
Many people also have the misconception that weight training makes them less flexible.
This is untrue. There are many flexible individuals, including athletes that train with weights regularly and have no adverse effects on their flexibility.
♥ In fact, it can have a positive impact on flexibility as it will strengthen the tendons and ligaments (when performed in the correct manner).
Additional Tips
After Weight Training Tips
♥ After you lift weights at the gym, spend some time stretching after your workout. This is the best time to stretch, as your muscles are warm and supple.
♥ Please use caution when starting a flexibility workout, though.
♥ Avoid any pain, popping and do not force yourself into any positions whatsoever.
♥ For the best results, stretches should be sustained by the force within the body. Not by pulling yourself there.
The Benefits
Benefits of Strength Training for Women
1. First Benefit of Strength Training for Women: Aesthetics.
When you lift weights consistently over time, you will notice that your body is in fact changing. Your goals will become more tangible and real.
Each week, you will develop a more attractive body and your dream body will be more within your reach. For that reason, weight training has been and can be used to build just about any type of physique that you desire.
If you want to look strong, thin and lean, then you can use weights to achieve that goal.
On the other hand, you can also lift weights to give you the bodybuilder look.
You can look very big, strong and muscular. The difference is in the approach and the diet that you eat alongside the weights you lift.
2. Second Benefit of Strength Training for Women: Burn More Calories.
I know you have heard this a zillion times, by adding muscle to your frame, you will burn more calories daily. But how many more calories will you burn?
Each pound of muscle burns how many calories?
There are many conflicting views about precisely how much each pound of muscle really burns.
♥ Realistically, and based on current research, a pound of muscle burns 6 calories per day.
Not as many calories as previously thought.
However, it should be mentioned that lifting weights will help prevent the loss of lean body tissue (muscle) for dieters.
According to research, loss of muscle is one of the main variables that increases your chances of future weight rebound when your diet is stopped.
3. Third Benefit of Strength Training for Women: Mental.
Seldom discussed, weight training also can build some mental toughness.
When you are faced with a heavy weight, a certain level of resilience is needed to overcome it and to complete the set. As a result, if you can consistently increase the weights that you lift in the gym, you will build confidence for the rest of your life and feel great about it.
The confidence that you have in the gym can be passed over to other areas in your life. All successful people know that if they can achieve a goal in one part of their life, then they can do so in another. The same principle is at work here.
Weight lifting is an individual form of exercise, so you learn about persistence and discipline. These are great traits to strengthen with weight training.
The Truth
The Truth About Strength Training for Women
Even after reading this article, some people will still have the misconception that weights make people muscle-bound. Research has proven otherwise.
With all the benefits of weight lifting, you can mold your body into a leaner, stronger version of itself without increasing your body weight, just like Julie did. It is something that weight training will bring you if you follow a consistent training plan.
The choice is yours.
Get Help With Strength
Help With Strength Training for Women
We do not sell magic solutions that will work for everyone.
Individuals are completely different, and for that reason, so should their programs be.
We are certified health experts that develop exercise and diet plans based on the specific needs of our clients. If that is what you know you need, we can help you.
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